Eric Lehmann From Constantin: The Quality Has to Be Right

You are taking on the newly created position of Chief Technology Officer at Constantin Film. What does this role specifically entail in a film production and distribution company?

Eric Lehmann: The focus is on AI topics, but also on all related technological issues. We face a variety of challenges: on the one hand, everything that needs to be changed in the administrative area, as in other companies. On the other hand, it also affects our core processes in the production, manufacturing, and evaluation of our projects.

What does that mean specifically for your role: are you responsible for selecting and implementing AI solutions, or do you see yourself more as a strategic advisor to the individual departments?

Lehmann: Both, and that’s what makes the job so exciting. We already have solutions in place to support the daily work of all employees. These are being continuously expanded. We have sought out, piloted, and integrated very specific solutions for individual areas and projects into daily use.

“Disruptive change”: The film industry is undergoing fundamental change

Constantin Film talks about a “disruptive change” in the film industry. How would you describe this change in your own words?

Lehmann: You can just see how incredibly quickly new players are entering the market, how quickly existing processes and company structures are changing – around us, but also within our own company. And that was the point at which we said: We have to reposition ourselves, structurally and in terms of personnel, so that we don’t get left behind.

So is the phrase “disruptive change” more of a description of the current situation, or does it also imply an agenda in a positive sense?

Lehmann: Change in the film industry has always been an issue and has become more pronounced in recent years – not only due to AI. But we have had very good experiences with it in the past because it has given us the opportunity to do things differently time and again. We are not afraid of change, but see it as an opportunity to realize projects differently – on a different level or with a different setup.

You say that the change has many causes and is not only related to AI. What other factors do you think play a role?

Lehmann: The causes of the change are multifaceted: the financing of films and series has become more complex, as has consumer behavior: there is linear versus media libraries and streamers. The internationalization of content also plays a role. Language barriers are diminishing, and material is being designed for a global audience. Other topics include green shooting and virtual production, which are having a massive impact on production processes. AI is another factor that is accelerating change.

Where does Constantin Film stand today in terms of AI use—and where would you like to see the company in two to three years?

Lehmann: We started looking into this topic back in 2021, not just behind closed doors, but centrally, with the question: How can we bring these technologies into the company so that employees have the opportunity to explore them in a safe environment? Not everyone likes to try out tools on their own. We create space for that.

The difficulty, of course, is then: How do we get the technology into complex film projects? A film project takes at least two to three years, from script development to the first stage of distribution. When you see what technical possibilities have been added in the last two years, it’s difficult to plan two years ahead today. At the same time, however, this also presents an opportunity. Because we are constantly starting new projects, we can continuously test technologies, gain experience, and transfer this knowledge directly to upcoming productions.

How will the AI department you are setting up be staffed?

Lehmann: We are fortunate to already have colleagues within the company who are very interested in this area. There is a core team of at least ten people from a wide range of departments who are involved in AI. We are in constant communication and are already working with various partners. At the same time, we are looking into which technology and development partners we can work with even more closely in the future in order to integrate new solutions into our work processes more quickly. As in other areas, we want to broaden our base here as well – both with partners in Germany and internationally. This suits us because our projects are already very internationally oriented.  

Reducing costs: How AI can help finance long-abandoned film projects

When it comes to AI, the film industry is naturally also driven by the prospect of potential cost reductions. Can AI already be used to achieve effective savings?

Lehmann: We are constantly faced with the question: How can complex projects be realized with limited resources? AI offers new opportunities to reconsider projects that were previously unfeasible for cost reasons.

But just because you have the opportunity to do things differently doesn’t mean they can be implemented immediately. It takes time to change processes and integrate them into established workflows.

Which areas of film production do you see being transformed by AI first – pre-production, script development, planning, editing, VFX, localization?

Lehmann: We don’t rush into any particular area. We look at each project individually. Which project needs which possibilities most urgently? Sometimes AI is used very early on, in the form of analyses as a basis for discussions with creatives and stakeholders. Sometimes it’s about previsualization or project planning. We look at the entire production chain and consider where AI makes sense.

Which tools and workflows are already practical and market-ready for you today?

Lehmann: Of course, we have the classic chat interface for employees. But there isn’t one tool that we rely on exclusively. We try to combine several tools on our interfaces or build customized workflows to suit our needs. Our goal is to improve processes and then support them with the right tools.

You come from a digital marketing background and were involved in setting up Constantin Film’s TikTok channel, among other things. Which AI methods will play a role in marketing in the future?

Lehmann: Marketing has always been open to new possibilities. For us, the need to become creatively “different” is not that great because we work with high-quality products and have good material. But we can deliver things faster and more tailored to target groups and work more efficiently with our marketing and sales partners.

To what extent will working with partners become more efficient?

Lehmann: We have a very fragmented cinema landscape in Germany, which results in a multitude of different requirements for us. One example is advertising material, which has to be adapted for different formats. The situation is similar in home entertainment, where each partner also has different requirements and possibilities, and we want to meet these but reduce the effort involved.

The quality must be right: ideally, AI should not be noticeable in the end product.

There is a lot of skepticism surrounding generative image and sound production – both among creatives and the audience. How do you address concerns that AI will replace human creatives?

Lehmann: Ultimately, it’s up to consumers to decide whether they want to embrace the technology. For us, it’s important that AI works in our products in such a way that, ideally, our viewers don’t even notice it’s being used. Quality is the priority.

Of course, there will be people who reject AI on principle. This has happened before. For example, even before the age of AI, actors were digitally rejuvenated, which some people didn’t like.

So cultural skepticism will never completely subside?

Lehmann: I believe the market will position itself in such a way that, in the end, there will be offerings in all directions. You can see that in music, too. Spotify is full of human-made music, and then there are AI surprises that work.

How will outsiders first notice that Constantin has become more “technological” with you as CTO?

Lehmann: Hopefully not at all in our products, because quality remains the priority. Technological changes should improve the work in the background without the audience noticing. In addition, we usually have no direct contact with the end customer because there are partners such as cinemas, streaming services, or retailers between us and the audience.